Maestro Claudio Interview: The Man Behind Perv City
Maestro Claudio conducts his porn movies with all the verve and vibrancy of a great orchestra leader, just with a camera and sex toys rather than a baton and 95-piece ensemble! He’s been in the industry since 1995, first as an actor and then later as the creative force behind the popular Perv City label. Step into the mind of a porn master in our new Maestro Claudio interview, an Adult Empire Blog exclusive!
What was the first porn movie you remember seeing?
I’m not sure I remember correctly, but it could very possibly be Deep Throat, in a movie theater where those kind of movies were still shown at that time.
How did you join the industry?
Since young age I’ve been very attracted to porn. I came to LA to get all my airplane pilot licenses and I specifically chose this city because I knew it was the world center of pornography and I was secretly dreaming to enter this business.
As it always happens when you sincerely and eagerly desire something, the right circumstances come automatically to be created and your dream somehow becomes reality.
How did you choose your porn pseudonym?
I started my career of performer as Claudio, which is my real name, thinking about the Italian model Fabio who uses his real name.
When I began to shoot and direct, some friends started to call me Maestro (like Leonardo Da Vinci, or Michelangelo, or Federico Fellini) because of my innate capacity to shoot great video and beautiful stills, therefore I became Maestro Claudio.
Most of your movies are shot in a gonzo style. In what ways has gonzo changed and developed since you first started directing movies?
I’d say that conceptually it has remained pretty much the same. The video technology and the way to distribute the content have changed a lot, but the concept is still the same.
What has been your overall vision for the Perv City label?
Through the careful use of my camera and using a peculiar technique that I perfected during the years, I intend to give the viewers the most realistic and immersive visual experience and simultaneously I want to offer them a variety of always beautiful female talents that range from the newest girls to the most famous stars, making also sure that the male talents are always perfectly up to the task.
Wendy Crawford (Adult Source Media owner) once said, “The Perv City brand is all about producing the highest quality, nastiest scenes with the hottest talent in the industry.” How would you define “nasty,” and do you find it hard to push the envelope in a world where so many types of porn are so wildly pervasive?
In this context my interpretation of nasty is to act dirty in a sexual way, hence I try to give the viewer an experience he may crave, but he cannot or doesn’t have the courage to try at home.
We operate within the boundaries of our special sector and I don’t find particularly difficult to push the envelope in our niche of the market.
Anal is one of the dominant themes of Perv City. What is the secret to a great anal scene?
Great talents and the perfect use of the camera which depicts the actions, at Perv City we have both the ingredients.
You started out in 1995 as an actor. In what ways do you think your background as a performer informs your style as a director?
I can only say that since I have a previous and current performer experience I have a high expectation of the male performer on set, however my style is mainly influenced by my peculiar interpretation of the sexual act which translates in my unique visual characterization of it.
When you watch porn that you did not direct, do you find yourself critiquing it or imagining the way you might have done it differently?
It may seem weird but I don’t watch porn that’s been shot by other directors. The only porn I like to watch now is the very amateur one that people shoot at home of themselves and their friends.
Give us an idea of what a typical day is like for you on set shooting a Perv City movie.
People believe that I am OCD, I prefer to describe myself a perfectionist and this research for perfection constantly reflects itself on my actions on set.
I spend a lot of time to direct the girls during the photoshoot, I believe that just a slight difference in a pose can make a big difference in the final picture. At the same way before the scene I like to explain in detail to the talents how I want them to perform, especially in regard to maintaining certain positions, the main reason for this being the fact I prefer to shoot with the minimum possible amount of camera cuts.
I always concentrate my attention on the visual aspect of the process and I have some great collaborators who take care of the other details. My PA Indiana is in charge of the legals, the lighting, the set appearance and the BTS pics and my super efficient PM Suzanne, among many other things, takes care of dressing the girls.
After the shoot we always like to do a short broadcast on Periscope to inform the fans about the scene.
You’ve said that your wife, retired pornstar Gina Rome, is a “vital part of PervCity.” Could you tell us a little bit about your relationship, and how it nurtures your work as a director?
Every creative genius needs a partner that can pin him down, that’s exactly what my wife does for me.
You recently tweeted, “[Maestro Claudio will] bring you what you’ve always wanted to see but you’ve never had the courage to ask for.” Why do you think so many people have such a hard time contending with their own fetishes, desires, and sexual preferences?
There are certainly several factors which contribute to that, including education, environment, religion and many others, but this is more of a sociological problem that transcends my expertise. My sole goal is to provide the public with the content they desire the most and I take pride in trying to make in this way their life somehow more enjoyable.
For those who might be new to your directorial lineup, what are some of the best movies for viewers to start with?
They can choose any of the Perv City movies, they are all of superior quality.
Browse Perv City porn videos here.
